Compact steam appliance with folding handle

ABSTRACT

A portable steamer ( 1 ) comprises a housing ( 14 ) that includes a water reservoir ( 8 ) and boiler or heater ( 9 ), as well as internal structures ( 10, 11 ) designed to inhibit steam emission and to prevent inadvertent leaking and emission of water and steam, and a folding handle ( 4 ).

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

None.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to fabric and garment care appliances and,more particularly, to steaming appliances.

2. Description of Related Art

Various types of steaming appliances exist for applying steam to fabricsor garments to remove wrinkles or to clean them. Such appliances areusually referred to as “garment steamers” and typically comprise a waterreservoir, a heat source that is heated by electrical energy to causethe water to boil and produce steam, and a nozzle for emitting thesteam. Some garment steamers are large and have a base designed to reston the floor or on a flat surface. Others are small and designed to becompact or portable. Some portable garment steamers include a soleplateof the type a clothing iron has, and they function as both steamer andiron.

There is a desire to create portable steamer designs that maximize water(and thus steam) capacity, that minimize storage space and weight, andthat maximize ease of use and portability. In addition, because in aportable steamer the reservoir is usually fixed to the rest of thestructure, rather than separated as a base that rests on the floor whilea handheld component is manipulated, there is a special need to design aportable steamer that does not inadvertently drip hot water or leaksteam when the appliance is tipped and maneuvered during use.

OBJECTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a portable garmentsteamer that maximizes water (and thus steam) capacity, that minimizesstorage space and weight, and that maximizes ease of use andportability. It is a further object of the present invention to providea portable steamer that does not inadvertently drip hot water or leaksteam when the appliance is tipped and maneuvered during use. It is afurther object to provide a portable steamer that has a compact designthat includes a folding handle.

These and other objects are achieved by the present invention.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

According to the present invention, a portable steamer comprises ahousing that includes a water reservoir and boiler or heater, as well asinternal structures designed to prevent inadvertent leaking and emissionof water and steam, and a folding handle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a front view of a portable steamer according to a preferredembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1B is a side view of a portable steamer according to a preferredembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1C is a rear view of a portable steamer according to a preferredembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is a top view of a portable steamer according to a preferredembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2B is a bottom view of a portable steamer according to a preferredembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3A is a perspective view of a portable steamer according to apreferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3B is a perspective view of a component of a portable steameraccording to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3C is a partial, perspective view of a portable steamer accordingto a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3D is a perspective view of a portable steamer during a mode of useaccording to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4A is a schematic, side view of a portable steamer during a mode ofuse according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4B is a schematic, front view of a portable steamer according to apreferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5A is a perspective, cross-sectional view of a portable steameraccording to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5B is a schematic, side cross-sectional view of a portable steameraccording to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5C is a schematic, side cross-sectional view of a portable steameraccording to a preferred embodiment of the present invention positionedhorizontally.

FIG. 6A is a perspective view of a portable steamer according to apreferred embodiment of the present invention having its handleextended.

FIG. 6B is a perspective view of a portable steamer according to apreferred embodiment of the present invention having its handlecollapsed.

FIG. 6C is a rear, perspective view of a portable steamer according to apreferred embodiment of the present invention having its handlecollapsed.

FIG. 6D are top, front and side views of a portable steamer according toa preferred embodiment of the present invention having its handlecollapsed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawing figures, a steamer (1) comprises a base (2), atop portion (3), a handle (4), a set of outlet nozzle openings (5) toemit steam vapor (32), a set of brush bristles (6), and a lintcollecting pad (7). A water tank (8) is provided above the base (2).Internally located is a heater (9), which may be a PTC heater or otherconventional type heater driven by electrical energy from an external orbattery source. A first water and steam blocking structure (10),described in more detail below, is provided above the water tank (8). Asecond water and steam blocking structure (11), described in more detailbelow, is provided within the upper section (17) of the steamer (1)housing.

As shown in FIGS. 6A-6B, the handle (4) is connected to two struts (12,13), each being connected to the exterior housing (14) of the steamer(1) and to the handle (4) by a set of hinges (15). The hinges (15)enable the handle (4) to be folded relatively upwardly and toward thesteamer housing (14) to a handle-closed position as shown in FIG. 6B,from the handle-opened position of FIG. 6A. A handle-lock release button(16) activates a mechanical lock (not shown) of a conventional type torelease the handle (4) from a locked handle-closed position.

Referring to FIG. 3D, in use the upper portion (3) of the housing isdetached and removed from the remainder of the housing (14), so thatwater (18) may be added to the water tank (8). As shown in FIG. 3D, thefirst blocking structure (10) is a raised, cylindrically-shapedextension that projects above the ceiling (20) of the water tank (8). Anopening (19) allows the water (18) to enter tank (8). The first blockingstructure (10) includes a floor section (21) with an opening (22) asshown in FIG. 5B, and a ceiling section (30). Thus, water passing intoand out of the water tank (8) must travel through the lower opening(22), through the generally cylindrical, vertically aligned interior(29) of the first blocking structure, and then through the upper opening(19). While the water rests in the tank (8) and is heated to and pastboiling point, resultant steam rises out of the tank (8) through firstopening (22) and then opening (19). The steam passes through anintermediate chamber (23) located in the upper section (17). It thenreaches and passes through an opening (24) in the second blockingstructure (11). The second blocking structure (11) is shaped generallylike a cylinder and is positioned horizontally and in alignment with theoutlet nozzle openings (5). Steam vapor (32) that emits from the steamer(1), thus, must pass through the second blocking structure (11) beforeexiting via the outlet nozzle openings (5). The second blockingstructure (11) includes an opening (24) and a generally cylindricallyshaped interior (31), wherein the interior (31) is in fluidcommunication with the outlet nozzle openings (5).

As shown in FIG. 5C, when the steamer (1) is tipped horizontally duringuse or inadvertently, water is prohibited from dripping or leaking outof the steamer (1). For example, the exterior wall (25) of the secondblocking structure (11) traps the water (26) that collects in theintermediate chamber (23), preventing it from exiting the nozzles (5).The water contained in water tank (8) is trapped behind the ceiling (20)of the water tank (8) except for the water that rises up to the opening(22), which spills into the intermediate chamber (23). As is apparent,selection of the internal dimensions of the water tank (8), theintermediate chamber (23), and the sizes and locations of the openingsand structures of the first and second blocking structures (10, 11) canbe made to ensure that the maximum amount of water held in the watertank (8) will not be enough to leak from the nozzles (5) when thesteamer is tipped horizontally as viewed from the side, as shown in FIG.5C and in FIG. 4A, and when tipped within a range of 45 degrees ineither direction when viewed from the front as shown in FIG. 4B. Theheater (9) will still operate to produce steam vapor when the steamer(1) is tipped horizontally. The blocking structures (10, 11) alsophysically inhibit steam vapor from exiting too quickly from the tank(8) to the outlet nozzle openings (5).

The brush bristles (6) may be used to smooth or comb a fabric to whichsteam is being applied in order to help smooth out wrinkles and assistin penetration of steam. The lint pad (7) is used to remove lint anddebris during use. A cup (27) may be included as part of a kit ofaccessories and used for adding water (18) to the steamer (1). The brushbristles (6) and lint pad (7) may be mounted to a removable plate (28)adapted to be selectively attached to or detached from the steamer (1)as desired.

The appliance 1 according to the present invention may be powered by anexternal electrical source such as a wall plug, via a conventionalelectrical cord (not shown), or it may be powered by conventionalbatteries (not shown) or by a conventional rechargeable source such as arechargeable battery (not shown).

Although the preferred embodiment is described, by way of example, withreference to use as a garment steamer, such a steamer as describedherein may have numerous other uses such as a cleaning appliance or glueand wallpaper remover, and other uses not specifically mentioned.

While the preferred embodiment has been disclosed, various modificationcan be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

1. A handheld steam appliance comprising a water reservoir adapted toreceive water therein; a heater adapted to heat water received in saidreservoir to convert it to steam vapor; an intermediate chamber to whichsteam vapor travels from said reservoir; at least one outlet nozzleopening to which steam vapor travels from said intermediate chamber andfrom which said steam vapor is emitted from said appliance; and a waterand vapor flow inhibiting system, said system comprising a first wallseparating said reservoir from said intermediate chamber and an openingthrough said first wall adapted to permit steam vapor to pass throughsaid first wall.
 2. An appliance according to claim 1, wherein saidopening through said first wall comprises a first blocking structureadapted to inhibit water and vapor flow, said first blocking structurecomprising a generally cylindrically shaped structure having an internalchamber and an opening adjacent to each end thereof and each openingbeing in fluid communication with said internal chamber, and said firstblocking structure being positioned such that said first end and saidsecond end facilitate flow of water and vapor between said reservoir andsaid intermediate chamber.
 3. An appliance according to claim 2, furthercomprising a second blocking structure comprising a generallycylindrically shaped structure having an internal chamber and an openingadjacent to each end thereof and each opening being in fluidcommunication with said internal chamber, and said second blockingstructure being positioned such that said first end and said second endfacilitate flow of water and vapor between said intermediate chamber andsaid at least one outlet nozzle opening.
 4. An appliance according toclaim 1, further comprising a handle attached to said appliance, saidhandle being adapted to be held by a user's hand and being adapted to beselectively moved to a position in which it is folded against saidappliance or to a position in which it is unfolded so that it is spacedapart from said appliance.
 5. An appliance according to claim 1, furthercomprising a set of bristles attached to said appliance adjacent to saidat least one outlet nozzle opening.
 6. An appliance according to claim1, further comprising a lint collecting pad attached to said applianceadjacent to said at least one outlet nozzle opening.
 7. An applianceaccording to claim 1, further comprising a removable plate adapted to beselectively attached to or removed from said appliance at a locationadjacent to said at least one outlet nozzle opening; a set of bristlesattached to said removable plate; and a lint collecting pad attached tosaid removable plate.